XC skiing with hula hoop variations

Our ski club was back on the Mountain Division Trail this past weekend and the kids decided skiing through one hula hoop was not enough of a challenge anymore. We've now graduated to double hoops on the favorite hill.

The kids made it look easy. As for me, I wiped out before I made it through the first one on my initial attempt.

I guess I couldn't handle the pressure.

But I am happy to report that I convinced one of the other ski club moms to try this and against her doubtful musings as she glided to the hoop, she did it (part of the negotiations to get her to try the hoop was only if I refrained from taking a photo ... I'm easing her in to the hula hoop skiing mama club).

The kids also offered up other variations of hula hooping down the hill that included swinging the hoop on their arms.

Our friend B. was particularly good at this and managed to keep the hoop swinging non-stop down the hill.

L. managed swinging for a bit before she ...

... tried the hip action.

This definitely falls into the category of mom not being coordinated enough to do this sort of thing but the kids had a hoop of a good time with it.

We spent nearly three hours in single digit temperatures Sunday afternoon out on the trail and not one of the 10 kids in the club (and not all of them spend time outside like my kids do) said a word about being cold.

We might have only skied about one mile total, but between the amoeba tag games, one ski gliding relays and hula hooping, there wasn't a lot of time to think about how long we'd been on the trail.

This sport often gets the snub because it's a big cardio workout but it does not have to be about a straight ski trail run. One minor hill, a pair of xc skis (no poles needed), a hula hoop (or two) and an attitude of can-do fun ... and it really will be.